Bag It, How to Get Rid of Plastic in your Life

Enjoying our summer vacation from school, with a lot of playing outside, and on these horribly hot days, we catch a movie on Netflix. Recently we watched "Bag It" an excellent movie about the life cycle of those uber convenient plastic bags carried by nearly every grocery store. Super Informative, non-preachy, funny approach and shocking, scarily shocking.


I had already done quite a lot to make changes so we waste less, and remove excess environmental toxins from our home. I also had a fabulous conversation with our first pediatrician about childhood diseases like Austism and ADHD and it's relation to environmental toxins. Our pediatrician enlightened me saying that it is NOT the vaccines on.. their.. own.. causing illnesses. Instead we need to look at all the toxins in our lives like, laundry detergent, boxed foods, plastic use, cleaning chemicals, even our clothes. She said if we take ALL those toxins into consideration, we can see how much toxicity is in our bodies...and then in our little tiny babies bodys that just can't filter it out fast enough.

Thats one reason why my A-Ha moment was so shocking! I had already done so much for a healthier life, I guess we had become a dreaded - content.

Later in this blog I'll recap some facts about those little plastic conveniences that have saturated our lives. But on to the I had a big A-Ha moment mid-way thru the movie... right in the part where the director was getting a blood test to monitor his chemical levels. Blood samples were taken before, and then after, eating for 2 days out of plastic containers - food storage, baby sippy cups, aluminum cans (turns out their lined with plastic), etc. No surprise, his toxicity level went up, shockingly fast too.

...And it hit me, my kids are drinking everyday from those disposable kids cups with lids, plastic cups that we reuse. Yes there BPA free, but Bag It has made it very clear that all forms of plastic are toxic, even BPA free.

I got up, left the living room and walked to the kitchen, I grabbed a garbage bag and started throwing out the kids cups. I called in my oldest son to help me, and the 3 year old tagged along. WE threw out all those plastic conveniences! From the cupboard, dishwasher, in the "deli" cups left around the house...all gone. Now the documentary makes it clear these plastics do not actually get recycled, they end up in a landfill in China (I know, what? Why China? See the movie!)...but they are not staying in my house...

But the Good News is that the environmental toxins we absorb are REVERSIBLE.

So Now What Do I Do??

No more plastic cups, geez now it'll be spills, breaks and chaos around any drinks we have at home? Well, not really. I learned when my eldest was in preschool that they can pour their own beverages into cups, limit spills, wipe up their own mess, etc., etc.

1. -- Instead of plastic sippy cups WE USE: Cups, you know those ceramic "coffee" cups. Safe, non toxic, and fairly durable since itll take a pretty big hit before they break.

2.-- Do not heat any food in plastic. Not in the microwave or oven. Here we've reverted to ol' skill methods, WE USE: the pan! Just like my 80 year old grandma still does, we re-heat leftovers on the stove. It's easier than you think, and tastier.

3. -- Do not store food in plastic containers. I am taking this plastic issue to the next level. The heating of food, in a plastic container, cause a chemical exchange of the leaking chemicals to enter the food. Less is exchanged when the food is cold, but none the less, I'm certain it's not any healthier. WE USE: glass jars left over from jam, spaghetti sauces, etc or ceramic bowls covered by a plate. Again old school style, like our moms and grandmothers did 30-50 years ago.

4. -- Eat as natural as possible and you will buy less plastic packaging. If it doesn't come from the earth, don't eat it. Foods should be as close to their natural state as possible. And let's move away from the brown plate syndrome. When you look at your plate of food it should be colorful, not just filled with brown or yellow color foods. Meanwhile helping cut down on packaging demands.

When I started staying home to raise my son, is when I started reading more and more about the toxicity in our environment. I kept a diary, for my son of what life is like, and the changes I was making to improve our quality of a healthy life. Here are some excerpts from that diary stared a few years ago:

Bag It the Movie Suggestions, Top Ten Ideas, and more on how to live a life less plastic....

Here some facts from bigger institutions studying the impact of plastics.

The Breast Cancer Fund and Silent Spring Institute conducted a study, published today in Environmental Health Perspectives. We enlisted five families for a week-long investigation. First, the families ate their normal diets. Then, we provided them with three days’ worth of freshly prepared organic meals that avoided contact with BPA-containing food packaging, such as canned food and polycarbonate plastic. Finally, the families returned to their normal diets. We measured their BPA levels at each stage.

While the families were eating the fresh-food diet, their BPA levels dropped on average by 60 percent. Those with the highest exposure levels saw even greater reductions: 75 percent.

These groundbreaking results tell us that removing BPA from food packaging will eliminate our number one source of BPA exposure.

That means you can make changes right now to reduce your family’s levels of this chemical linked to breast cancer. It's as simple as cooking at home with fresh foods and making some very basic changes in your kitchen, such as limiting canned foods, choosing glass and stainless steel food and beverage containers, and not microwaving in plastic. You might also consider eating fewer meals out—especially at places that don't use fresh ingredients.

The CDC also has some tips on lowering carcinogens in your home and life:

1. Filter your tap water. Common carcinogens in tap water include arsenic, chromium, and chemical byproducts that form when water is disinfected. A simple carbon tap-mounted filter or pitcher can help reduce the levels of some of these contaminants. If your water is polluted with arsenic or chromium, a reverse osmosis filter will help. Learn about your tap water and home water filters at EWG's National Tap Water Database.

2. Seal outdoor wooden decks and play sets. Those built before 2005 are likely coated with an arsenic pesticide that can stick to hands and clothing. Learn more from EWG.

3. Cut down on stain- and grease-proofing chemicals. "Fluorochemicals" related to Teflon and Scotchgard are used in stain repellants on carpets and couches and in greaseproof coatings for packaged and fast foods. To avoid them, avoid greasy packaged foods and say no to optional stain treatments in the home. Download EWG's Guide to PFCs.

4. Stay safe in the sun. More than one million cases of skin cancer are diagnosed in the United States each year. To protect your skin from the sun's cancer-causing ultraviolet (UV) radiation, seek shade, wear protective clothing and use a safe and effective sunscreen from EWG's sunscreen database.

5. Cut down on fatty meat and high-fat dairy products. Long-lasting cancer-causing pollutants like dioxins and PCBs accumulate in the food chain and concentrate in animal fat.

6. Eat EWG's Clean 15. Many pesticides have been linked to cancer. Eating from EWG's Clean 15 list of the least contaminated fruits and vegetables will help cut your pesticide exposures. (And for EWG's Dirty Dozen, buy organic.) Learn more at EWG's Shopper's Guide to Pesticides.

7. Cut your exposures to BPA. Bisphenol A (BPA) is a synthetic estrogen found in some hard plastic water bottles, canned infant formula, and canned foods. Some of these chemicals cause cancer in lab studies. To avoid them, eat fewer canned foods, breast feed your baby or use powdered formula, and choose water bottles free of BPA. Get EWG's tips to avoid it.

8. Avoid carcinogens in cosmetics. Use EWG's Skin Deep cosmetic database to find products free of chemicals known or suspected to cause cancer. When you're shopping, don't buy products that list ingredients with "PEG" or "-eth" in their name.

9. Read the warnings. Some products list warnings of cancer risks -- read the label before you buy. Californians will see a "Proposition 65" warning label on products that contain chemicals the state has identified as cancer-causing.

Terminal Illness... Questions for the Doctor

When a family or friend has a serious or terminal illness it can be a scary time. I like to research lots of opinions, learn what questions to ask, and gain perspectives. So then I can write down My Own questions for the doctor.

Many doctors won't disclose more then basic information unless you ASK specific questions.

When our beloved aunt was being treated with high doses of Morphine we realized her pain level must be tremendous!! The doctors kept using the term "Advanced Cancer," yet kept telling her/us keep fighting and keep hope alive.

When her husband (who had a limited education) asked questions, he asked about what he understood - time. All he could understand regarding cancer was ..."how long does she have to live?" the doctors would say "I'm not God, we don't know that answer." We only felt this was difficult, frustrated and worried.

We called a meeting with the doctor and he met with the family after his rounds at the hospital.

Know that if you ask detailed questions the doctor will offer you more information. Be open minded and considerate of the doctor. Be prepared to hear the unexpected. And know considering risks and benefits of treatments may be a relief or may make you feel more stressed.

Here's what we asked:

How well did the last treatment work?
Did the cancer respond to treatment?

What is the current treatment plan? What are the goals?
What are the realistic benefits and risks?
-relieve symptoms, shrink the cancer, control the spread? or live longer?

Is the bowel obstruction reversible?
Are there surgery or stent options? Or gastrostomy tube?

With the naso tube is some type of venting a next step?
What are the Risks and benefits?

What do you mean by advanced cancer?

Is it treatable? Is it curable?

Is remission possible?

Is she terminal?

Is it time to consider hospice care?

What are the benefits or intervention and further treatment at this time?

These questions help you gain additional information to help you make informed decisions for you and yours.